Beretta (Signature Weapon)

This post is a new entry in my Signature Weapons series, weapons you find in crime fiction and spy fiction and that are used or could be used as signature weapons by protagonists and/or antagonists. So today I am blogging about the Beretta, an Italian gun. I have seen the brand showing up in many crime stories, including a novel I read recently. It's part of the arsenal of the Carabinieri and other police forces around the world. Conversely, it's been used by the mob and still is, whether Italian or not. It's also often featured in the spy thrillers, or at least I have seen the Beretta showing up in the spy novels I read recently. You may not know, but it was the service weapon of a certain British agent (guess who) until it was replaced by another brand (guess which one). Anyway, I'm not sure if the Beretta is in fiction more often held by a good guy or a bad guy, either way it can be a signature weapon.

The Carabinieri

I have started this year a tradition of blogging about police, army or secret service forces around the world, just for kick. Last time I did was in March, so I thought that I should do it again, if I want to make it a real tradition. So today, just for fun, let's talk about the Carabinieri. I went to Italy once, but it is one of the elements of the country that struck me: the distintive look of the Carabinieri, or rather their uniform. Even their ordinary uniform is kind of distinctive, unusually elegant. But what truly sets them apart is that they are both a police force and an army force (although separate from the army, from what I understand). They are (again, from what I understand) a sort of military police. Regardless of their role and reputation in real life (which I know nothing about), I think there is a lot of potential for drama in fiction, particularly of course crime fiction. Anyway, if I have Italian readers, regular or venturing here, please tell me in the comments about the Carabinieri and your experience with them. I want to know more.